Warwick McFadyen

My surname begins Mc. As a sign of identification of one’s roots, it is fairly foolproof. Son of the Gaels. In my case, it derives from the clans north of the English border, Scotland.

I am a ninth-generation descendant of the first McFadyen of our line to land on Australian shores. The first was Roderick. He and his wife Marion and their children landed ashore in September 1856. They had sailed aboard the ship The Lloyd from the Isle of Coll, in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Their passage of 60 pounds was paid by Marion’s brother Hugh. According to the ship’s log, Roderick, a farmer, and Marion could not read or write. They set down roots in the Hunter Valley in NSW, and 102 years later, along the hereditary chain, I entered the world.

Poor wee Scotland. Home to nothing more evil than novice bagpipe players and haggis, now finds itself censured for having the temerity to want to break free from England.

Imagine if Roderick and Marion could read from beyond the grave what I have in recent days; that from where they had come was the home of kilted killers of freedom, a tartaned nest of justice haters. Apparently.

Over the weekend, the Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, while snuggling into the bosom of the English, said this about the folk up north of the border – in the context of a referendum next month on independence: ‘‘What the Scots do is a matter for the Scots and not for a moment do I presume to tell Scottish voters which way they should vote. But as a friend of Britain, as an observer from afar, it’s hard to see how the world would be helped by an independent Scotland.

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‘‘I think that the people who would like to see the break-up of the United Kingdom are not the friends of justice, the friends of freedom, and the countries that would cheer at the prospect...are not the countries whose company one would like to keep.’’

Poor wee Scotland. Home to nothing more evil than novice bagpipe players and haggis, now finds itself censured for having the temerity to want to break free from England. What then after that, invasion? Mel Gibson, blue of face, reprising his role in Braveheart, roaring: “Tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom!’’

It’s not as if Scotland wants to relive the Battle of Bannockburn, where in 1314 Robert I (the Bruce), king of Scotland, defeated Edward II. The victory was short-lived, 20 years later England defeated the Scots. The unofficial national anthem Flower of Scotland, grew from the Bannockburn battle.

Equally, it’s also not as if independence has never entered their heads. More than 700 years ago, the Treaty of Birgham, drawn up by the Scots, was to guarantee Scotland of its freedom from England. In 1707, however, the Treaty of Union brought into being the United Kingdom. One thing that did arise from that union, however, was one of the most beautiful and sensible songs about the two nations, Both Sides the Tweed. It stresses two elements: independence and understanding. Perhaps Abbott might find time to listen to Dick Gaughan singing it. It will bring tears to your eyes, for all the right reasons.

Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond certainly had tears in his eyes, quite rightly taking umbrage at the ‘‘gaffe-prone’’ Prime Minister. "Mr Abbott’s comments are hypocritical because independence does not seem to have done Australia any harm. They are foolish, actually, because of the way he said it. To say the people of Scotland who supported independence weren’t friends of freedom or justice, I mean, the independence process is about freedom and justice.’’

The comments were "offensive to the Scottish people". And then to toss the caber at him, Salmond said, ‘‘If it does anything it will persuade people to vote Yes because the natural reaction to this sort of nonsense is: Who is Mr Abbott to lecture Scots on freedom and justice?’’

To lend weight on the scales of sensibility v silliness, Scotland’s leading historian Sir Tom Devine, professor of history at Edinburgh University, and the author of more than 30 books on Scottish history, says the time is right. “The union of England and Scotland was not a marriage based on love. It was a marriage of convenience. It was pragmatic. From the 1750s down to the 1980s there was stability in the relationship. Now, all the primary foundations of that stability have gone or been massively diluted.”

Abbott didn’t really need to make the comments at all. To whose benefit was their utterance? Like other remarks by the PM and his ministers, they show only a worrying propensity for making silly remarks. They paint a picture of: they’re just kids.

At least, as a very small thing, Salmond did not have to deal with Scotland being called Scotlandia in the manner that Abbott, in a slip of tongue, termed Canada. Many Scots have emigrated to Canada, including McFadyens. Imagine their surprise to have learnt it was Canadia all along.

Warwick McFadyen is a senior Age writer.

23 comments so far

Great piece Warwick and may Scotlandia's Freedom be long lived! Independence has been pretty good for us, till recently.Yes, he is but a silly sausage, an interfering silly sausage.

Commenter

A country gal

Date and time

August 20, 2014, 12:01AM

Tony Abbott's comments did not go down well in Scotland. He may live a long way away, but over the last year his assorted gaffes have travelled the high road and the low road and are well known. The referendum is mainly about economic issues and no one has ever suggested the pro-independence supporters are against freedom and justice! Scots have a trusted BBC and good choice of newspapers for news and information and are not told to think by the IPA, Murdoch media, etc., so it is they who should pity us.

Commenter

Andre Haggisy

Date and time

August 20, 2014, 8:56PM

Scottish Independence is for the Scottish People to decide, not some half-witted Australian PM.

If Independence is good for Australia why is it bad for Scotland?

If he (Abbott) loves the English imperial system so much, why does he not ask for Australia to readmitted the British Empire…Westminster will look after you…honestly!

I am Scottish and will be voting YES on September 18.

Is this guy Abbott on the pay-roll of the Westminster Establishment or something?

Commenter

Peter Mellon

Location

Scotland

Date and time

August 20, 2014, 1:58AM

It probably won't surprise you to know that the Mr Abbott was actually born in England. Apart from the embarrassment these stupid comments have caused, we have also had to endure the re-introduction of imperial honours here in Australia. He can't get enough of the stuff. Will your newly independent nation be open to immigrants? It might be time to get out.

Commenter

Jack

Location

Sydney

Date and time

August 20, 2014, 1:03PM

Yep, out of kilter with that and everything else. A diplomatic embarrassment, a character of poor legitimacy and a slur on Australia's fair go legacy.

Commenter

Mrfunbro

Date and time

August 20, 2014, 5:00AM

Arguably the silliest of all Abbott's many gaffes. What was he thinking of? Does the man think at all before mouthing idiocies. Adults in charge? Don't think so. This gaffe was infantile.

Commenter

Arthur Baker

Location

Sydney

Date and time

August 20, 2014, 5:11AM

Abbott at home and abroad demonstrates that he is nothing but an ignorant buffoon.

Commenter

Helsey

Date and time

August 20, 2014, 5:25AM

But Tony wants to be a BIG player on the International stage.So how else will he justify his existence...surely not as a Politician or Statesman.Perhaps as the Worlds Fool ?

Commenter

srg

Location

nambucca heads

Date and time

August 20, 2014, 5:38AM

Our government has gained respect in recent times for it's "foreign policy". That respect is not justified. Disaster management, while necessary, is not foreign policy.

Foreign policy is the relationship between nations. If Scotland does become independent, Abbott will no doubt be grovelling before Salmond declaring Scotland our 27th best friend.

Commenter

Alan

Date and time

August 20, 2014, 7:22AM

If one were to be easily offended by ignorance or irrelevance, one could find these remarks close to bigotry.